The future of the X-Men on the big screen

[Jackraow21]

Well, while I agree with yogaflame for the most part, I could definitely see a scenario wherein they do something different in the MCU with Wolverine, making Laura the Wolverine of the X-men while Logan plays a broader role as Weapon X or just Logan across the wider MCU. In fact, if you piece these rumors together and assume that some of them are valid leaks coming out of whiteboard sessions, you can kind of see the thought process pointing towards that as one potential scenario. Might just be something they’ve discussed that never happens, but I can see something like this...

- We are introduced to Logan as a screwed up, angry agent of Department H;
- Xavier recruits him just like in the comics and he quits, coming along for the mission to Krakoa;
- The first X-men film will be based upon ANAD X-men #1 with the mission to Krakoa and the ANAD team;
- Logan is not a big focus in the film and quits after that mission, searching for clues about his past pre-Weapon X; and
- Then they do a Hulk vs. Wolverine film or Disney+ series which includes Alpha Flight trying to reclaim him as Dept H property, and hopefully we get the grey Hulk and the Wendigo in there as well somehow.

There was also a rumor that Laura might be the Wolverine of the MCU and not Logan. I could see this actually, with Logan rejecting the name because Department H gave it to him. Perhaps we get a scene where Laura is rescued from The Facility in the ‘Hulk vs. Wolverine’ film or series, and Logan is reporting back to General Ross on the operation. And he finds her. And maybe... just maybe, we could see The Leader working behind the scenes running The Facility, where he’s continuing on with Gamma experiments combined with genetic experiments using samples obtained from Weapon X that contain Logan and Creed’s blood.

The Wendigo is essentially a mutate created from that DNA bombarded by Gamma radiation, a little bit of a departure away from the mysticism in the comics. But maybe it wouldn’t hurt to have a dash of mysticism thrown in too. With The Leader talking about the spirits of the wild north and using the name Wendigo, which comes from local Indian folklore. Something like that. Anyway... the point is that the Wendigo is created in the same Facility where Logan finds Laura and rescues her. Maybe we even get a Deadpool cameo, as he shows up as backup for Logan on the op having been hired by Ross. They have a funny exchange about how Logan is not being paid while Wade is making bank on this job. I could see it.

So Laura gets rescued, and they find an empty tank that housed the Wendigo which is loose and is now hunting the Hulk. Maybe even use the newer version of the Wendigo where his bite transforms people into additional, less powerful Wendigos. So by the time Logan meets up with the Hulk, it’s an entire pack of Wendigos hunting him and a massive three way battle between Logan, the (Grey) Hulk and the Wendigos. Of course Alpha Flight shows up somewhere in this to try and reclaim Logan as well, so have to make room for them somewhere. Maybe after Logan and Hulk have escaped the Wendigos temporarily, and that way they could team up against Alpha Flight. Or maybe they capture Logan and it’s Hulk who rescues him, and then they go deal with the Wendigo threat together in the big finale.

But I digress... the point being that somewhere in all this, Laura is delivered to the Xavier School. She takes the codename Wolverine at the end, or in the post credits scene, because she overhears an exchange between Ross and Logan where he refers to him as “Weapon X” and Logan says, “I don’t go by that anymore.” He says, “Sorry, old habits. I guess you prefer Wolverine now.” To which Logan responds, “Better, but I’m not their property either anymore. Logan is fine.” Maybe Laura asks him why they called him The Wolverine and he tells her how a Wolverine is a fearsome animal which has no fear and will fight animals which are much larger. So she takes it as her codename in the end.

This gives the MCU a fresh new take on Wolverine with Laura rocking the Wolverine mantle, and Logan known as Weapon X (spoken with fear and reverence by his enemies) or just Logan (by his friends). He can still wear the costume, but his is more individualistic (his modern brown and tan) whereas hers has some design elements that match the other X-men, who rock individual costumes but with some matching thematic elements to them that make them look like a team.

I can see it working quite well honestly.

[CRaymond]

As fun as watching online pettiness can be, I'm more curious what yoga thinks "all the best continuity" is that Feige will adapt to screen. Avengers had just as much continuity and it dwindled down to an Ultimates introduction, a mish-mash Kooky Quartet, a completely revised Civil War to fit the world they built, and a completely revised Infinity Gauntlet split into two films. Even Ragnarok had Planet Hulk scenes rather than story.

This is an honest question. What arcs will be scavenged?

[Jackraow21]

Like I said in my lengthy post above, I think we’re going to start with ANAD X-men #1 and that cast, with Logan as a minor supporting character who leaves after that mission. Then they’re definitely going to take him into an encounter with the Hulk, and Alpha Flight. Hopefully the Wendigo too. So I see Logan doing his own thing while the rest of the X-men are allowed to breathe a bit more without him. Maybe he pops in and out, as a cameo, or we get cameos of the X-men in his solo stuff to show that he’s kept in touch (especially with Xavier who is helping him in his search for his past).

Beyond all that? I’m not sure. But adapting ANAD X-men #1 as well as Incredible Hulk #181 are some pretty deep cuts.

[CRaymond]

You REALLY think we’ll get an Alpha Flight project? REALLY?

And you REALLY think we’ll get a Hulk fight?

Seriously?

[Jackraow21]

Yeah. Why not? I don’t think they’ll be individual projects, rather part of the same thing. I think we will get that long rumored Hulk vs. Wolverine film, even if they don’t call it that because of the rights situation with Universal or whatever (it might just be called ‘Wolverine’ or ‘Wolverine: Weapon X’, something like that). But it will involve Logan fighting the Hulk, and probably also Alpha Flight trying to retrieve Logan. And it will delve into his past and have Weapon X flashbacks. For sure.

Could be a Disney+ series instead of a film actually. I might prefer that honestly. A 6-8 episode series with hour long episodes would be fantastic. Lots and lots to play with there.

[Frobisher]

Emma Stone as Nurse Annie and Timothee Chalamet as Carter.

[Purplevit]

Noone will be waiting 10 or 15 years for New Mutants or GenX or other satellite teams. With D+ we for sure will have different X projects and teams. It is not FOX. X-men won`t be a 3 characters story for 10 years. I am sure that after first mutant reveal in MCU, they will start to pop up in all projects on D+ and movies. In modern MCU it never will be a 10 or 15 years of the same team or characters.

[Jackraow21]

Agree with this. They have clearly decided (and I think rightfully so) that streaming is the future. As evidenced by putting Hamilton on Disney+ and forgoing a lot of box office revenue. This means, once they get cranking on the production side, they can put out lots and lots of X-product. Which I think is the plan. I think you can bank on Uncanny X-men being the tent pole film franchise, but Wolverine, New Mutants/GenX, X-Force, Gambit, etc., will be sub franchises probably with their own Disney+ shows. Maybe some feature films too, but I’d bet more on the streaming side.

[Kingdom X]

Agree with this. They have clearly decided (and I think rightfully so) that streaming is the future. As evidenced by putting Hamilton on Disney+ and forgoing a lot of box office revenue. This means, once they get cranking on the production side, they can put out lots and lots of X-product. Which I think is the plan. I think you can bank on Uncanny X-men being the tent pole film franchise, but Wolverine, New Mutants/GenX, X-Force, Gambit, etc., will be sub franchises probably with their own Disney+ shows. Maybe some feature films too, but I’d bet more on the streaming side.

Lol i can’t wait till the MCU gets consumed by X-Men content. They’re already scrapping the barrel and they need to keep this franchise running for the foreseeable future.

[Jackraow21]

It’s coming. A Wolverine, Gambit, X-Force or even New Mutants/Gen X series would crush anything else in their current Disney+ lineup. And if done right Uncanny X-men should be a huge film as well. X-men is easily a multi-billion dollar franchise on its own. If Marvel can harness what made it great in the 90s, with a more modern sensibility and increased diversity, it will blow up as big as the Avengers. No doubt in my mind. It’s the right franchise with the right message for right now. Again, if done right. And Disney needs that right now... badly!

https://www.sfgate.com/business/arti...t-15385894.php

[yogaflame]

As fun as watching online pettiness can be, I'm more curious what yoga thinks "all the best continuity" is that Feige will adapt to screen. Avengers had just as much continuity and it dwindled down to an Ultimates introduction, a mish-mash Kooky Quartet, a completely revised Civil War to fit the world they built, and a completely revised Infinity Gauntlet split into two films. Even Ragnarok had Planet Hulk scenes rather than story.

This is an honest question. What arcs will be scavenged?

The best continuity is the Claremont run. We all know this. The vast majority of works that came after him would have no footing to stand on without the concepts and characters he introduced. It is the best continuity in all of mainstream superhero comicbookdom, and the receipts still stand(still #1 after almost 3 decades).

The Avengers continuity is horrible in comparison[they started off better in the old Lee/Kirby days, but they never really evolved like Wein/Cockrum/Claremont evolved the X-Men]. The best Avengers story was in the Ultimates[1 and 2 at least], which I don't even blame the MCU for using heavily as an inspiration in many respects(shoot, I wish they had used more aspects).

The Academy X kids are not the best X-Men stories[not even close, and the NM and even GenX run circles around them as far as the junior teams go]. Nor are the Ultimate X-Men stories the best[Millar had some moments, but his best stuff was in the Ultimates]. Feige does play loose and fast with what he references, but he also tends towards picking good stuff/elevating mediocre concepts with excellent execution(see Civil War or the Infinity Gauntlet for comparison). He knows the good X-Men stuff. And of course the MCU X-Men is going to be different from any particular canon, which isn't perfect anyways, but I don't doubt that he will deliver in ways the Fox films never did.

[yogaflame]

Noone will be waiting 10 or 15 years for New Mutants or GenX or other satellite teams. With D+ we for sure will have different X projects and teams. It is not FOX. X-men won`t be a 3 characters story for 10 years. I am sure that after first mutant reveal in MCU, they will start to pop up in all projects on D+ and movies. In modern MCU it never will be a 10 or 15 years of the same team or characters.

The whole Infinity Saga hinged on the original Avengers line up[over the course of 11 years].

I agree Disney+ is a game changer, but even Disney has limits in terms of how much they can produce at once. And there is also such a thing as over-saturating a market. The MCU fandom has supported 2-3 films a year for a decade. I don't see that increasing much in the future(are movie theaters even going to be a thing anymore moving forward?), but even in terms of shows, I don't think the MCU is going to launch Excalibur, X-Factor, X-Force, Generation X, New Mutants, Academy X, Wolverine, Magik, etc, etc, all at once. They are in it for the long haul, and can milk this IP for a long time, but they have to build it one project at a time, and not spread themselves too thin.

[Purplevit]

The whole Infinity Saga hinged on the original Avengers line up[over the course of 11 years].

I agree Disney+ is a game changer, but even Disney has limits in terms of how much they can produce at once. And there is also such a thing as over-saturating a market. The MCU fandom has supported 2-3 films a year for a decade. I don't see that increasing much in the future(are movie theaters even going to be a thing anymore moving forward?), but even in terms of shows, I don't think the MCU is going to launch Excalibur, X-Factor, X-Force, Generation X, New Mutants, Academy X, Wolverine, Magik, etc, etc, all at once. They are in it for the long haul, and can milk this IP for a long time, but they have to build it one project at a time, and not spread themselves too thin.

They are not making all movies at once. All divided on phases as usual. Plus or minus it will be 6-8 projects per year. Ideally 4 movies and 4 D+ shows. Phase that consist from 20 projects for 3 years easilly can have X-Men movie, Excalibur show, Gambit and Wolverine shows, NM and other stuff.

They won't be waiting 10 years to introduce more mutants then just 1 X-Men team. Different X teams and solo characters will coexist in the same time for sure.

[Havok83]

They are not making all movies at once. All divided on phases as usual. Plus or minus it will be 6-8 projects per year. Ideally 4 movies and 4 D+ shows. Phase that consist from 20 projects for 3 years easilly can have X-Men movie, Excalibur show, Gambit and Wolverine shows, NM and other stuff.

They won't be waiting 10 years to introduce more mutants then just 1 X-Men team. Different X teams and solo characters will coexist in the same time for sure.

With COVID being our new reality, we definitely will not be seeing that much content in the years to come. It'll likely be closer to 4-5 projects. I think Marvel will have to rethink how they prioritize filming moving forward and they may lean more into D+ to sustain them bc the movie industry is too unstable right now

[Jackraow21]

They are not making all movies at once. All divided on phases as usual. Plus or minus it will be 6-8 projects per year. Ideally 4 movies and 4 D+ shows. Phase that consist from 20 projects for 3 years easilly can have X-Men movie, Excalibur show, Gambit and Wolverine shows, NM and other stuff.

They won't be waiting 10 years to introduce more mutants then just 1 X-Men team. Different X teams and solo characters will coexist in the same time for sure.

Not only that, but COVID-19 exacerbated a problem that the box office was already experiencing with regards to nothing besides big tentpoles drawing people into the theaters. And now on top of that Disney has a huge revenue problem due to their theme parks, hotels and cruise ships being empty; not to mention ESPN being a constant drag on their earnings plus the aforementioned issue with the theaters and them being closed and probably slow to fill back up. So they simply must exploit this IP — and do so quickly!

They will map out lots and lots of X-stories to tell, and I have no doubt they’ll go into production and crank out content for Disney+ much more quickly than they built up the Avengers franchise. They’ll do what other businesses are doing with rapid testing, temperature scanning, masks and distancing to keep people safe while filming. But I would almost guarantee it. Just bought a bunch of Disney stock actually because I’m betting on them figuring this out and exploiting that IP they just bought back from FOX.